Maverick Vinales delivers bullish appraisal of KTM’s MotoGP bike
Vinales looks ahead to new challenge with KTM
Maverick Vinales says the KTM MotoGP bike he will ride in 2025 is a machine that has “increased a lot the way I can fight on track” compared to the Aprilia.
The 10-time grand prix winner joins the Tech3 squad for the 2025 campaign aboard a factory KTM, marking the fourth bike he has ridden in the premier class.
Though able to win a grand prix last year with Aprilia, Vinales struggled for consistency in 2024 on the RS-GP as he ended the season a distant seventh in the championship.
A strong post-season test in Barcelona in November saw him end up 12th overall and second-fastest of the riders who had swapped machinery for 2025 behind his Aprilia replacement Jorge Martin.
Given the difficulties riders face now in MotoGP in being able to overtake, Vinales feels the KTM will give him more opportunities to be able to race effectively in 2025.
“It’s always very tough to compare the bikes, because while you are not at the best [level] it’s always tough to compare,” he said when asked by Crash.net following KTM’s 2025 launch what he felt the RC16 could bring out of his riding.
“But what I felt, and especially what is something I really like, is the feedback I got from the bike is what I expected.
“This is very important. I can already feel the potential on brakes, which in this MotoGP era it’s very important to attack.
“And then it has a powerful engine.
“So, I think it increased a lot the way I can fight on the track and this is very important, because if you are good at fighting on the track then it’s easier to put yourself in a good position, to make a good performance.
“So, I know I can do a really good rhythm, I know I can be fast on one lap because also last year I had plenty of fast speed for one lap but the fighting was tough.
“So, I expect with this bike to be much stronger, especially in fighting for position in the first laps. And then, I will need to smash every lap.
“But my main focus right now in the next few days [in pre-season testing] is trying to understand the bike, understand what I need and also trying to help the factory to make the next step. But I think we can do a good job.”
While racing for Tech3 in 2025, it is being viewed by KTM as part of its factory team - with both it and the works team running identical liveries.
On his time with the Austrian manufacturer so far compared with Aprilia’s factory, Vinales said:“Well, the approach I think has been easy. Everyone is very kind.
“For sure, it’s not the first experience I have with the Tech3 guys because when I was at Yamaha they were my team-mates.
“So, I already had something to share with them. For me, it seems to easy, kind, I think everyone is focused on the job.
“Obviously, now I’m going to pass more time with them we will know each other better.
“But everything is really good. I’m happy with the squad I have, I’m happy with the bike.
“So, it’s just waiting for the time to put the lights out and just go. I’ve been always in contact with KTM, with Red Bull. It’s a place where I was in the past, so it feels familiar.”
